Wednesday 30 September 2015

Conviction rate of rhino poachers are poor

As per official data, a total of 214 poachers were arrested from different districts of the Assam from 2009 to 2013 (the break-up being 18 in 2009, two in 2010, 19 in 2011, 115 in 2012 and 60 in 2013), yet not a single poacher could be convicted during these four years. The jinx, though, was broken late last year with the conviction of two poachers of Kaziranga. This year too, two more poachers of Orang National Park were convicted in July. But still, the conviction rate has been too poor to be any deterrent to poaching.
http://www.assamtribune.com/scripts/detailsnew.asp?id=sep3015/at057

Tuesday 22 September 2015

Monday 21 September 2015

Three years imprisonment for leopard skin smuggler

A person who was arrested for illegal possession of two leopard skins in July 2011 by Special Operations Group of Uttarakhand police in Pithoragarh district was convicted and one of the co-accused was declared as absconder by Chief Judicial Magistrate. Convict was sentenced to three years imprisonment and Rs. 50,000 fine.

Friday 18 September 2015

Leopard cat killed in road accident

One leopard cat was killed in road accident at near Chalthi, Tanakpur - Pithoragarh road in Champawat district of Uttarakhand on 16 September 2015.

122 turtles seized in Udham Singh Nagar

122 turtles protected under the Wildlife Protection Act, were seized from a car near Shakti Farm area of the Udham Singh Nagar district, Uttarakhand on 17 September 2015.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/dehradun/122-rare-turtles-seized-from-smuggler/articleshow/49003410.cms

Turtles brought from India seized in Dhaka

Bangladesh forest officials seized 4200 turtles suspected to be brought from India, consisting of four species - 1,800 pieces are Tricarinate hill turtle, 1,600 Indian pond turtle, 500 star tortoises and 300 Indian roofed turtle.
http://www.thedailystar.net/backpage/man-held-4200-turtles-145012

Wednesday 16 September 2015

Poacher caught in Corbett Tiger Reserve convicted

A person who was arrested in Dhela Range of Corbett tiger reserve, Uttarakhand with poaching tool, food and mobile in December 2013 (he was associated with tiger poachers whom were killed two tigers in Amangarh around the same time) was found guilty by the court for the violations of Sections 2(16), 2(35), 9, 27, 35(8) of Wildlife Protection Act. Last week Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, Ramnagar had sentenced him to three years rigorous imprisonment and Rs. 10,000 fine.

DFO's office burnt down in Chandel, Manipur

Office of Divisional Forest Officer - Tengnoupal Forest Division in Chandel district of Manipur was set on fire by unidentified miscreants on 15 September 2015.
http://e-pao.net/GP.asp?src=18..160915.sep15

Friday 11 September 2015

Tiger killed in Train accident at Valmiki Tiger Reserve

One tigress (Panthera tigris) was found dead near Bagaha-Chitauni railway tracks of East Central Railway on 10 September 2015. Forest officials claimed that the tiger was killed after being hit by a train under Madanpur range of division-II of Valmiki Tiger Reserve (VTR), Bihar around 290km northwest of Patna. Around 6km of the section of the railway tracks passes through Madanpur range, which falls in the western part of the VTR. The section was made operational in 1992 and more than a dozen passenger and goods trains pass through the stretch daily.
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1150911/jsp/bihar/story_41927.jsp#.VfJwB9Kqqko

Naxals burn down forest department offices in Maharashtra

Left-wing extremists were burned down the forest department's range office and inspection room at Perimili, Bhamragarh-Alapalli road in Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra on 10 September 2015.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/Naxals-burn-down-forest-depts-offices-in-Gadchiroli/articleshow/48906081.cms

Thursday 10 September 2015

21.63 tonne red sanders seized in Gurgaon

A joint team of Delhi police and Haryana forest officials seized 21.63 tonne of red sanders in Gurgaon district, Haryana on 9 September 2015.
http://www.jagran.com/haryana/gurgaon-12863314.html

Wednesday 9 September 2015

Sentence of wildlife convict reduced

In a case which was reported in November 1997 in Delhi, a person who was caught with 1 leopard skin (initially recorded as tiger skin) was convicted by trial court for one year simple imprisonment and Rs. 10,000 fine on March 2015. In an appeal filed by the convict now sessions court has reduced his sentence and released him on probation. Court observation is as follows:

"Having upheld the conviction of accused (appellant herein) this court has further heard appellant and his counsel appearing on his behalf as well as Ld. PP, on the point of sentence. Appellant submits that he is 44 years of age. He is engaged in the business of selling wood and that he is the only bread earner in his family having wife, three school going children and aged mother dependent upon him. He is not a previous convict and no other criminal case is pending against him. It is submitted that the convict is having a permanent place of abode and is well settled in the society and he has not repeated the similar offence. It is submitted that he has faced trial for about seventeen years since July, 1998 and prayed for taking a lenient view. It is submitted that accused had remained in custody since 28.11.1997 to 22.12.1997 and thereafter w.e.f. 12.01.2013 to 05.02.2013, during trial. Ld. PP submits that ld. Trial court has already taken a lenient view and in the fact and circumstances, the convict does not deserve any lenient view.

Having regard to the totality of facts and circumstances noted above, nature of the offence, character of the offender and the fact that the convict has appeared during trial for about 17 years and has already remained in custody for a period of one and half months, coupled with the fact that appellant is not a previous convict and is not reported to be involved in any other similar case or any other criminal case. This Court is of the considered view that appellant should be given an opportunity to reform and rehabilitate himself in the society and to become a responsible citizen of State. Therefore, it is deemed expedient in the interest of justice to release appellant on probation instead of sentencing them. Appellant is ordered to be released on furnishing bond of probation in a sum of Rs. 25,000/- with one surety of like amount for a period of one year before the ld. Trial Court/successor court, apart from depositing a compensation of Rs.1.00 lac. (one lac.), which shall go to State towards taking wild life protection measures and towards defraying expenses of the protracted prosecution proceedings in this case. The appellant shall be given adjustment of the fine of Rs.10,000/-, imposed by the trial Court, if already deposited by him. In default of deposit of compensation within one week from today, convict (appellant herein) shall be liable to undergo three months Simple Imprisonment & compensation shall be recovered by attachment/sale of the immovable or movable property belonging to the appellant. Order accordingly.

In the result, appellant's conviction for the violation of Section 49 & 49-B(1) punishable u/s 51 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 is maintained. Sentence awarded by Learned Trial Court is modified, in terms noted above. Appeal stands dismissed."

Tuesday 1 September 2015

Large-scale deforestation along the Assam-Meghalaya border

Large-scale deforestation triggered by illegal logging and timber smuggling has pushed the Rani forest landscape along the Assam-Meghalaya border to the brink. The reserve forests of Rani, Jorasal and Kawashing under Kamrup East Forest Division are spread over an area of 45,981 hectares, where sal and teak were once predominant. Massive destruction inside the reserve forests  has also triggered exodus of wild elephants into the nearby fringe villages in search of food even during the monsoon season. Local people attribute this worsening man-elephant conflict to human-induced depredations in the forests.
http://www.assamtribune.com/scripts/detailsnew.asp?id=sep0115/city058